Means for driving the counting mechanism of gas meters



Nov. 3, 1936. H. BRANDL 2,059,547

MEANS FOR DRIVING THE COUNTING ECHANISII OF GAS METERS Filed July 14,1952 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Nov; 3, 1936.

H.BRANDL MEANS FOR DRIVING THE COUNTING MECHANISM OF GAS METERS FiledJuly 14, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 3, 1936 PATENT OFFICE MEANSFOR DRIVING THE COUNTING MECHANISM OF GAS METERS Hans Brandi, Vienna,Austria, assignor to the iirm Compagnie pour la Fabrication desOompteurs et Materiel dUsines a Gaz, Montrouge,

France Application July 14, 1932, Serial No.-622,470 In Great BritainJuly 23, 1931 2 Claims. (01. 13-233) This invention relates to improvedmeans for driving the counting mechanism of gas meters. In thevolumetric measurement of gas a measuringmember is driven '-by the gasto be measured, and this member in its turn drives the counting andregistering mechanism through the intermediary of transmissionmechanism. If, however, the pressure and/or the temperature 01' the gasto be measured fluctuates within comparatively wide limits,-the 'flguresregistered by the counting mechanism must be corrected so as to be validfor normal pressure, normal temperature, and normal atmosphericpressure, it the direct readings of the counting mechanism are not tolead to false conclusions. The necessary calculations for the correctionof the figures given by the counting and registering mechanism can, itis true, he carried out with the aid of tables, but this methodistroublesome and wasteful of time, and, further, mistakes can never bepreeluded with certainty.

The present invention provides means for use in connection with gasmeters for the driving of the counting mechanism by the measuringinstrument or member proper, which means are subject to the influence ofdevices responsive to v temperature, or to the atmospheric pressure, or

to the pressure of the gas, or any desired combination of suchinstruments, and that in such a manner that the deviations from thenormal temperature, the normal barometric level, andthe normal pressureeffect adjustments in the transmission mechanism which give rise toappropriate actuation of the counting mechanism by means of which thegas volume is registered as for normal conditions of temperature andpressure. Tedious calculations for correction are thus renderedsuperfluous. The transmission mechanism between the measuring instrumentor member. proper and the counting mechanism consists of a systemoirods, that is to say ofa lever and link mechanism, and one or moremovable points of articulation in this system are under the influence ofdevices responsive to the temperature, or the atmospheric pressure, orto the gas pressure, or. of any desired combination of such instruments.

For the more clear explanation and ready understanding of the invention,one constructional example will first be explained with the aid of thediagrammatic Fig. l of the accompanying drawings, in which example thecounting mechanism of the gas meter is for the sake of simplicity onlyinfluenced by a pressure responsive device which itself] is under theinfluence of the fluctuations occurring in the gas to be measured.

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically how the embodiment of the invention shownin Fig. 1 can be further developed if the counting mechanism of the 5gas meter is to respond to the influence not only of a gas pressureresponsive device but also of a device responsive to temperature and adevice responsive to the atmospheric pressure.

Fig. 3 shows finally a constructional representation of an embodiment ofthe invention in which the counting mechanism of the gas meter respondsto the influence of the fluctuations registered by a gaspressure'responsive device and a device responsive to temperature of thegas. 15

It is assumed that the measuring device proper drives a crank thejournal I of which moves in the chain-dotted circle 2 in the directionoi the arrow shown in connection therewith. This crankgrasps aconnecting rod 3 which is connected to one arm 4 ot a bell-crank leverthe axis of rotation 5 of which is fixedly mounted, and the other arm 6of which is articulated to a link I which is connected by means of ajoint 8 to a second link 9. This link 9 is articulated to astraight-guided slide III which, through the in- 'termediary of athrusting rod it causes an arm I! to carry out a reciprocating movementabout an axis l3. To this arm I! there is articulated a pawl it whicheflects the driving of a disc I5. Each complete reciprocating movementof the slide I0 rotates the disc l5 by one step, and from this point thecounting mechanism takes its drive. As will readily be understood, theslide l0; carries out one complete reciprocating stroke for everycomplete revolution of the crank pin I.

With the aid of the constructional example given in Fig. 1 it will nowbe shown how this transmission mechanism, which consists of the systemof levers and links 4, 6, l, 9, III, H, H, can be made to respond to theinfluence of the fluctuations registered by a gas pressure responsivedevice in such a manner that the counting mechanism is caused to takeaccount of deviations from the normal pressure of the gas to be measuredin the figures registered and indicated by i v For this purpose thepoint of articulation 8 at which the two links I and 9 are connectedtogether, and which has to a certain degree freedom of movement, sincethe slide I0 is also slidable in its direction of movement even when thecrank i is at rest, is grasped by a link I which is connected to a leverl'l, in such a manner that, through the rocking of the lever ll aboutits pivot point l3 the point of articulation 8 can be displaced. If thepoint of articulation 8 be drawn'somewhat downwards, as understood withreference to Fig. 1, while the crank pin remains stationary, forinstance by downward rocking of the lever ll, then the system of linksI, 9 will be rocked about the right-hand end point of the arm 3 as apivot in a counterclockwise direction, so that the slide III is shiftedtowards the right. The thrusting rod II and therefore also the arm l2are thereby likewise shifted in company, and it will readily beunderstood that in this manner not merely the central point ofOscillations of the slide l and of the arm I2 is displaced, but also theextent of the rocking movement is varied. If the lever ll be rockedupwards the point of articulation 3 is likewise shifted upwards, thesystem of links 1, 9 is rocked about the right-hand end point of thelever 6 in a clockwise direction and draws the slide it towards theleft, there being thereby likewise produced alterations in the drive ofthe disc l which are different from those just indicated.

For the movement of the lever this latter is provided with a toothedsector IS with which there engages a toothed rack 20 which is slidablein a longitudinal sense and is subject to the in-.

fluence of a gas pressure responsive device 2|, this dependence beingillustrated in the drawings by the fact that the diaphragm 22 of thisgas pressure responsive device is connected by means of a rod 23 withthe toothed rack 20. The gas pressure responsive device 2| is subjectedto the influence of the gas to be measured, so that on the occurrence offluctuations in the pressure of the gas the toothed rack 20 is moved toand fro and thereby rocks the lever ll in one direction or the other, bymeans of the sector IS. The variable factors in this construction can beso determined that the variations in the reciprocating movements of theslide l0 brought v about by the rocking movements of the lever infiuencethe counting mechanism in such a manner that its readings are accuratelyor at least approximately accurately valid for gas at normal pressure.

It is equally possible to arrange for the toothed rack 20 tobeadditionally actuated by other instruments also, if it is desired thatthe counting mechanism shall take account of deviations from the normaltemperature and from the normal barometric level during measurement, andthis can be effected, for instance, in the manner diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. 2. The toothed rack 20 is in this case connected toa two-armed lever 24, 25 the pivot 23 of which is freely movable. Thearm 24 of this lever is arranged to be actuated. by the registeringaction of the gas pressure responsive device 2|; the arm 23 is connectedby means of a link'2l to the freely movable pivot 23 of atwo-armed lever23, 33 the one arm 29 of which is put under the influence of atemperature responsive device 3|, and the other arm 33 of the same underthat of a device responsive to the atmospheric pressure 32. By virtueofthis arrangement the measuring and registering actions of the gaspressure responsive device, temperature responsive device, andatmospheric pressure responsive device can be variously, additively orsubtractively brought to bear in the form of movement transmitted to thetoothed rack 23, and the dimensions and other variable factors can be sodetermined that the counting mechanism takes correct amount of all thefluctuations occurring and registered by these instruments during themeasurement of the gas.

In order to prevent recoil action of the movements of the system oflevers and links upon the measuring instruments 2|, 3|, and 32, it isadvisable to provide in connection with the lever ll 9. braking orchecking device which liberates this lever only in one of the two deadpositions in which, practically speaking, the movements of the system oflevers and links and the forces acting therein are temporarily nil. Atthis moment the lever I! may be liberated for adjusting movement; inevery other position it is arrested, so that there can be no recoilaction upon the measuring instruments 2|, 3|, and 32.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 1, the lever I1 is to this endprovided with a brake disc segment 33 with which there is adapted tocooperate a brake lever 34 with a brake cheek or shoe 35. This brakelever is pressed towards the segment 33 by means of a spring 36. Thebell-crank lever 4, 6 is provided with an extension arm 31 which at 'oneend of its oscillations comes up against the brake lever 34 and pressesthis lever, against the action of the spring 36, away from the brakesegment 33, so that this latter, and with it also the lever I1, isliberated. The lever I1 is thus liberated only at an end or dead centerposition, while it is otherwise held fast by the-described brakingmeans. Only during the short period of time in which it is liberated bythe brake can this lever be actuated by the instruments 2|, 3|, and 32through the intermediary action of the toothed rack 20, and thenecessity for the prevention of recoil action of the mechanism upon themeasuring instruments is thus satisfied in a particularly simple andreliable manner.

Fig. 3 shows how the invention can be construc- 5 tively carried out, ifthe counting mechanism is to be so influenced by a gas pressureresponsive device and a temperature responsive device that, whatever thetemperature and pressure of the gas may be, this counting mechanismregisters the volume which the gas which has passed through the meterwould have if pressure and temperature of the gas were normal.

The gas meter, which can be of any desired type, drives the shaft 33 towhich the crank 39 is attached. This crank causes, through the inter.-mediary action of a connecting rod 43, a lever 4|, which is pivotallymounted upon a pin 42, to rock. The free end of the lever 4| isarticulately connected to a link 42 which in its turn is connectedthrough the joint 43 to the link 44. The free end of the link 44 isarticulated to an arm 43 which is pivotally mounted about the pin 43,and which is connected by means of the link 41 to the arm'43 attached tothe axle 49. The rocking movement of the lever 4| is transmitted by thelinks 42, 44 to the arm 43, and thence by means of the link 41 to thearm 43 which is parallel to the link 4!. Attached to the axle 43 thereis a clamping clutch 33, which only acts in one direction, and whichcouples the spur wheel 5| loosely mounted on the axle 43 with the axle43 only when the arm 43 is rocked in the direction of the arrow 32; onthe return movement of the arm 43 the spur wheel ll remains stationary.This spur wheel 3| drives the toothed wheel 54.. through theintermediary of the gear wheel 33, thereby rotating the axle II which inits turn drives the counting (not shown) of the gas meter.

2,059,547 It will be readily understood that the mechanism justdescribed is substantially identical with that shown in Fig. 1'. The pinof the crank 39 corresponds to the pin in Fig. 1, the connecting rod 3corresponds to the connecting rod 40, the lever 4 6 corresponds to thelever 4|, the links I, 9 correspond to the links 42, 44, thearticulation point 8 to the articulation point 43, the slide Ill to thelink 41, and the arm l2 to the arm 46.

The point of articulation 43 is grasped by the link 56 the end 51 ofwhich is connected to a two-armed lever 58 which is mounted upon theaxle 59 and carries a counterweight 60 by means of which the mass effectof the oscillating parts of the mechanism are balanced.

To the end 51 of the link 56 there is further articulated a rod 6| whichis articulately connected to a slide 62. This slide 62 is straightguided in a bearing 63 and is grasped by a link 64 which is connected bymeans of the rod 65 to the lever 66 of a thermostatic element 61, and bymeans of the rod 68 to the lever 69 attached to the Bourdon-tube 10 of apressure responsive device, this latter being connected by means of atube H to the gas supply line. The thermostat 61 being likewiseconnected to the gas supply line is subject to the influence of thetemperature of the gas to be measured.

The link 64 is thus varyingly adjusted, according to the conditions ofpressure and temperature, and actuates in its turn the slide 62 and withit also the rod 6|. The movements of the rod 6| are transmitted, throughthe intermediary of the link 56, to the point of articulation 43 betweenthe links 42 and 44, in precisely the same manner as the articulationpoint 8 in the form shown in Fig. 1 is shifted by the link IS inaccordance with the movement of the members 2|] and I! in obedience tothe fluctuations registered.

by the measuring instruments 22, 2| ,and 3| (the influencing of the arm64 by an atmospheric pressure responsive device is in this case omitted,since this is as a rule not necessary for practical requirements) Therod 6| passes through the intermediate space between two brake cheeks 12and 13 of which the one (12) is rigidly mounted, while the other (13) isattached to a slide 14 which is straight guided .by means of a slot 15on the screws 16 and 1'! and is so loaded by a spring 18 that the brakeblock 13 is normally pressed towards the brake block I2. normally sobraked that itrcannot be moved by the slide 62. The rod 6| isv requiredto be liberated only in an end or dead centre position of the leverandlink-mechanism, and this result is achieved by providing the lever 4|with a pro-' mechanism this latter, in consequence of the The rod 6| isthus' Thus in this case also braking arrestment of the rod 6|, can exertno recoil action upon the variable responsive instruments 61 and 10. Theprojection I9 thus corresponds to the arm 31 in the form of constructionshown in Fig. 1, and the slide 14 to the brake lever 34 in that form.

From a constructional point of view the mechanism according to theinventioncan be varied both as to details and in its entirety, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A gas meter, comprising a rocking leverand-link-system' containing arocking lever, two links forming together a variable angle, and areciprocating member, one end of the said links being connected tothesaid rocking lever and one end of the other link being connected tothe said reciprocating member, these two links being movable relativelyto the rocking lever of the system by moving the vertex point of theangle formed by them, a driving mechanism for a counting device, thesaid reciprocating member being connected to the said driving mechanism,

this driving mechanism comprising means for transforming thereciprocating movement into a rotating movement, devices responsive tophysical conditions of the gas to be measured, means for connectingmovable parts of these devices to the vertex point of the said twolinks, a. periodically acting braking mechanism acting on a part of thesaid connecting means between the said devices responsive to thephysical conditions of the gas and the vertex joint of the said links,this braking mechanism permitting the said devices to influence the twolinks only when the said lever-and-link-system is at one end of itsrocking movement.

2. A gas meter, comprising a rocking leverand-link-system, containing arocking lever, two links forming together a variable angle, and areciprocating slide, one end of the said links being connected to thesaid rocking lever. and one end of the other links being connected tothe said reciprocating slide, these two links being movable relativelyto the rocking lever of the system by moving the vertex joint of theangle formed by the two links, a driving mechanism for a countingdevice, the said reciprocating slide being connected to the said drivingmechanism, this mechanism comprising means for transforming thereciprocating movement into a rotating movement, devices responsive tophysical conditions of the gas to be measured, means for connectingmovable parts of these devices to the vertex joint of the said twolinks, a periodically acting braking mechanism acting on a part of thesaid connecting means between the said devices'responsive to thephysical conditions of the gas and the vertex joint of the said links, amember for actuation to a rocking movement by the rockinglever-andlink-system, this member acting on the said braking mechanismin such a manner that this mechanism is only lifted at one end of therocking movement of the said system, the said braking and-link-system isat one end of its rocking move ment.

HANS BRANDL.

